US3839979A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Collapsible multicarrier wind propelled vehicle
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-06-27
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Granted: 1974-10-08
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Expires: 1992-06-27
Abstract
Abstract A collapsible multicarrier wind propelled vehicle includes a pair of spaced carriers connected by centrally hinged struts. A center control spar is connected to the struts at the hinged midpoint and a mast is stepped on the spar by a hinged connector. One or more mast brace spars are pivotally connected at one end to the mast and at the other end are connected to a respective one of each of the carriers. The vehicle is collapsed in a convenient package for transportation by folding the mast down parallel to the control spar thereby shifting the control spar axially forward relative to the carriers and folding the center struts at the hinged midpoint to bring the carriers together. The mast may be telescoped to that in collapsed condition it does not extend beyond the ends of the package.
Inventors
- 👤 G Wassell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:41
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B15/00; B63B15/0083; B63B7/00; B63B7/02; B63B1/00; B63B1/02; B63B1/10; B63B1/14; B63B2001/145; B63B2015/0016; B63B2015/0033; B63B2015/005; B63B2015/0075
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A collapsible catamaran comprising: two buoyant hulls; strut means connecting said hulls together in spaced relationship, said strut means comprising a forward strut and an aft strut, each hinged at a point centrally thereof for allowing said strut means to pivot at said hinge points between an extended configuration in which said catamaran is erect and a folded configuration in which said catamaran is collapsed; a center control spar connecting said forward and aft struts at said hinge points; disengageable locking means for holding said catamaran erect, and disengageable to allow said strut means to fold at said hinge points and swing said hulls toward each other to collapse said catamaran; and steering means for controlling the direction of said catamaran while underway.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A collapsible catamaran comprising: two buoyant hulls; strut means connecting said hulls together in spaced relationship, said strut means comprising a forward strut and an aft strut, each hinged at a point centrally thereof for allowing said strut means to pivot at said hinge points between an extended configuration in which said catamaran is erect and a folded configuration in which said catamaran is collapsed; a center control spar connecting said forward and aft struts at said hinge points; disengageable locking means for holding said catamaran erect, and disengageable to allow said strut means to fold at said hinge points and swing said hulls toward each other to collapse said catamaran; and steering means for controlling the direction of said catamaran while underway.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A collapsible catamaran as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a mast; means for pivotally stepping said mast on said control spar; and fulcrum means connected between said mast and said hulls for providing fulcrum support for said mast whereby erection of said mast translates said control spar relative to said hulls and straightens said struts to spread said hulls apart.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A collapsible catamaran as defined in claim 2, further comprising: spring means for biasing said mast in erect configuration to automatically erect said catamaran.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
119 words
A collapsible catamaran as defined in claim 1, wherein: said steering means is connected to the aft end of said center control spar and includes a rudder; means for mounting said rudder for rotation in a vertical plane; a tiller; means for mounting said tiller in said vertical plane; means connecting said tiller and said rudder for rotating said rudder in said vertical plane by movement of said tiller; means for rotating said common vertical plane of said rudder and tiller in a 180* horizontal arc; and said center control spar is shiftable relative to said hulls to the extent that said rudder is carried substantially between the confines of said hulls when said catamaran is in collapsed configuration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle, comprising: a plurality of laterally spaced carriers; a pair of struts pivotally connected between said carriers; a center control spar connected to said struts; hinge means on said struts for hinging said struts at said control spar between a folded configuration and an extended configuration; lever and fulcrum means connected to said center control spar and said carriers for shifting said control spar axially relative to said carriers to effect lateral movement of two of said carriers relative to said control spar; means on said lever means for connection of a sail; and steering means for controlling the direction of said vehicle while underway.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle, comprising: a plurality of laterally spaced carriers; a pair of struts pivotally connected between said carriers; a center control spar connected to said struts; hinge means on said struts for hinging said struts at said control spar between a folded configuration and an extended configuration; lever and fulcrum means connected to said center control spar and said carriers for shifting said control spar axially relative to said carriers to effect lateral movement of two of said carriers relative to said control spar; means on said lever means for connection of a sail; and steering means for controlling the direction of said vehicle while underway.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 5, wherein: said lever means includes a mast pivotally connected to said center control spar at the heel of said mast; and said fulcrum means includes a mast brace spar for providing longitudinal support for said mast in erect position, and for providing fulcrum support about which said mast pivots during erection and collapse of said mast.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 5, further comprising: stop means for stopping said struts at their fully extended configuration; and lock means for locking said struts at their fully extended configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
108 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 5, wherein: said carriers include a pair of watertight hulls; said steering means is connected to the aft end of said center control spar; said steering means includes a rudder and a tiller; each mounted for rotation in a common vertical plane, and means connecting said rudder and tiller for rotating said rudder in said vertical plane by movement of said tiller in said vertical plane; and said center control spar is shiftable relative to said hulls to the extent that said rudder is carried substantially between the confines of said hulls when said vehicle is in folded configuration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 5, further comprising: spring means for biasing said carriers apart to facilitate erection of said vehicle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 6, further comprising: spring means for biasing said mast in erect configuration to facilitate erection of said mast.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
125 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 6, wherein said mast comprises: a first section and a second section; said second section having a smaller external cross-sectional dimension than the corresponding internal cross-sectional dimension of said first section; a stanchion supported in said first section and extending axially therethrough; pulley means connected to said stanchion adjacent the end thereof opposite to the end thereof connected to said first section; a line extending axially through said mast, around said pulley, and then back again axially through the mast, at least one end of said line extending outward to the exterior of said mast; whereby pulling on said line causes said first section and said second section to slide telescopically apart to raise said mast.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 11, further comprising: a plurality of rings coaxially disposed around said mast; a sail connected to said rings along one edge of said sail at spaced locations therealong; said sail having an upper corner and a grommet formed in said corner; said line having formed at the other end thereof a connection for attachment to said grommet; whereby, pulling on said line causes said sail to be hoisted simultaneously with said mast.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
77 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 12, wherein: said second section is pivotally connected to said center control spar; said first section further comprises a pair of stay brackets connected to the lower end thereof; a pair of mast support stays connected between said stay brackets and said carriers for providing lateral support for said mast in the erect configuration thereof and for limiting the height to which said mast may be telescopically raised.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
77 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 13, wherein: the internal diameter of said rings is less that the maximum dimension between the external edges of said stay brackets; some of said rings being disposed on said mast above said stay brackets and the balance of said rings being disposed on said mast below said stay brackets; whereby said mast may be telescopically raised and lowered without causing interference between said rings and said stays.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
142 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle, comprising: two longitudinal members; carrier means operatively connected to said longiTudinal members for supporting said vehicle above a medium over which it travels; a strut connected between said longitudinal members; hing means centrally disposed on said strut for folding said strut centrally on itself between a folded configuration in which said two longitudinal members lie adjacent each other, and an erect configuration in which said two longitudinal members are laterally separated at at least one end thereof; a center control spar connected to said strut at said hinge means, said center control spar being shiftable mounted for longitudinal translation relative to said longitudinal members; a mast hingably connected to said center control spar and adapted to support a sail; fulcrum means connected to said mast; and steering means attached to at least one end of said vehicle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
142 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle, comprising: two longitudinal members; carrier means operatively connected to said longiTudinal members for supporting said vehicle above a medium over which it travels; a strut connected between said longitudinal members; hing means centrally disposed on said strut for folding said strut centrally on itself between a folded configuration in which said two longitudinal members lie adjacent each other, and an erect configuration in which said two longitudinal members are laterally separated at at least one end thereof; a center control spar connected to said strut at said hinge means, said center control spar being shiftable mounted for longitudinal translation relative to said longitudinal members; a mast hingably connected to said center control spar and adapted to support a sail; fulcrum means connected to said mast; and steering means attached to at least one end of said vehicle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 15, wherein: said mast is connected at the heel thereof to the forward end of said center control spar; and said center control spar is forwardly shiftable to carry said heel of said mast forwardly and cause said mast to pivot about said fulcrum means to lie parallel and adjacent to said longitudinal members when said center control spar has reached the forward limit of its translation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
82 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 15, wherein: said center control spar includes a pair of telescoping sections; said mast is connected to one of said sections; said fulcrum means is connected to the other of said sections; whereby telescoping of said center control spar causes translation in opposite directions of the portions of said mast connected to said one of said sections and said fulcrum means to rotate said mast and thereby to erect and collapse said mast.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
85 words
A collapsible wind propelled vehicle as defined in claim 15, wherein: the front ends of said longitudinal members, and one end of said fulcrum means, and a front carrier are all connected to and supported by a front support member; the aft end of both of said longitudinal members are laterally spaced and connected to and supported by a respective one of two aft support members, each of which is also in turn connected to and supported by a respective one of two aft carriers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
121 words
A collapsible water borne vehicle comprising: two buoyant hulls; strut means connecting said hulls together in spaced relationship; hinge means connected to said strut means intermediate the ends thereof for allowing said strut means to pivot at said hinge means between an extended configuration in which said vehicle is erect and a folded configuration in which said vehicle is collapsed; spring means for biasing said hulls apart to automatically spread said hulls apart and erect said vehicle; disengageable locking means for holding said vehicle erect, and disengageable to allow said strut means to fold at said hinge means and swing said hulls toward each other to collapse said vehicle; and steering means for controlling the direction of said vehicle while underway.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
121 words
A collapsible water borne vehicle comprising: two buoyant hulls; strut means connecting said hulls together in spaced relationship; hinge means connected to said strut means intermediate the ends thereof for allowing said strut means to pivot at said hinge means between an extended configuration in which said vehicle is erect and a folded configuration in which said vehicle is collapsed; spring means for biasing said hulls apart to automatically spread said hulls apart and erect said vehicle; disengageable locking means for holding said vehicle erect, and disengageable to allow said strut means to fold at said hinge means and swing said hulls toward each other to collapse said vehicle; and steering means for controlling the direction of said vehicle while underway.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
A collapsible water borne vehicle as defined in laim 19, wherein said strut means comprises a forward strut and an aft strut, each hinged at a point centrally thereof, and further comprising a center control spar connecting said struts at said hinge points.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
A collapsible water borne vehicle as defined in laim 19, wherein said strut means comprises a forward strut and an aft strut, each hinged at a point centrally thereof, and further comprising a center control spar connecting said struts at said hinge points.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
94 words
A collapsible water borne vehicle as defined in claim 20, further comprising: a lever pivotally connected to said center control spar; a brace pivotally connected diagonally between at least one of said hulls and said lever, the connection of said brace to said lever being vertically spaced from the connection of said brace to said hull; wherein said spring means bears against said lever causing said lever to pivot about the connection thereof with said center control spar, thereby causing said diagonal brace to straighten and spread said hulls apart to erect said catamaran.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A collapsible water borne vehicle as defined in cLaim 21, comprising a third buoyant hull connected to said center control spar.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
A collapsible water borne vehicle as defined in claim 21, wherein said lever comprises a mast having means thereon for connection of a sail.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-07 | 1978-04-08 | 1978-10-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-07 | 1982-04-08 | 1982-10-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-07 | 1986-04-08 | 1986-10-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |